Sunday, October 12, 2008

Mercy and Grace

The picture has nothing to do with the post..... but I like it..... It is indicative of their personalities for sure.

Today I'm being an instrument of Mercy and an instrument of Grace.

As I may have blogged before, Grace is getting what we don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve.

Salinda did not deserve a ride tonight. She called desperate for one even though she left only with the understanding that she had a ride home and I would not have to come get her. Then, instead of telling me her ride fell through, she stayed an extra night without permission and skipped church this morning. But when she called this afternoon, I agreed, for a small fee to help with gas (natural consequences) to go pick her up.

So, I extended Mercy -- not giving her what she deserved -- which was having to figure out how to get herself out of a mess that she, and only she, created.

And earlier today I went shopping for black pants and a black shirt. Mike has been hired at a local fast food joint and is now in the jail work release program. He needed clothes. Bart was planning to do it, but his day was so busy that I offered to go get them. And so tomorrow Mike, who has stolen thousands of dollars of stuff from us, will be the recipients of a brand new outfit that his dad and I paid for. And I extend grace -- and he gets what he doesn't deserve.

Why extend Mercy and Grace? Because it is important for me to be merciful and gracious. They may be grateful, they may not. They may take advantage of me and return my kindness with anger. But I'm not doing it for what they will do in return -- I'm doing it because that is what Jesus would do.

It sounds trite, I know, and it certainly has taken me a long time to get to this point -- but I am thankful to have learned a bit about God's grace and mercy by extending it to my children.

And since I am often in need of both from God, it only makes sense that I should give to others what I desperately need from Him.